Coming Out: Mal

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them, for which I should think they're profoundly grateful.

Summary: Mal comes out to Zoe (more or less)

Feedback: Yes please. Even if it's bad. Especially if it's bad.

They've had Serenity near on six months, when Zoë walks into the kitchen to find a man sitting at their table drinking tea and bare from the waist up. Possibly from the waist down, but that's hidden by the table, and Zoë's not eager to see one way or the other.

"Morning," she says.

"Morning," the man says with a smile. "Pleasant day."

Zoë nods – she hasn't been by any windows yet today to see. She makes herself tea in silence, waiting for the man to say something else; maybe some indication of exactly what he's doing on her ship. He doesn't belong to her, and Kaylee always has her men off the ship by nightfall, and – and he's naked, in her kitchen, which aint all that sanitary, for one, and aint what she expects first thing in the morning, for two.

There's not, as it happens, any way to take her leave gracefully, so she nods and walks out, tea in hand, in search of Mal. Who turns out to be coming the other way, whistling. She can't think she's ever heard him whistle.

"Morning, sir."

"Zoë," he says, smiling. "And how are you this fine morning?"

"Better before I found we've a naked passenger I know nothing about."

"Is that so?" Mal asks, but his face is slowly turning red, and he's looking very intently at her left ear.

"Seems to be," she says, fighting down her own grin. Of all the possible explanations, she wouldn't have ever expected this one. "Something you want to tell me, sir?"

Mal maybe catches the laughter she can't quite keep out of her voice, because he looks up and glares. "Seems you've it all figured out your own self," he says. "So we'll say no more about it."